


illuminated

by missmaier



Series: right beside you [3]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, Fluff, Post-Canon, Time Skips, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, cute gfs being cute gfs, kinda sjkehkljskl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-27 22:58:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17775824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missmaier/pseuds/missmaier
Summary: five years after their relationship starts, Violet takes Clementine up to the bell tower with a surprise.





	illuminated

**Author's Note:**

  * For [masterlocke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/masterlocke/gifts).



> hey!! so this au was created in tandem with two of my amazing friends, @yoosterwolf and @wwiitchcraft on tumblr and it's meant to be set five or so years after the boat incident. Louis knows sign language and this is briefly addressed in the fic.
> 
> enjoy!!

“Where are you taking me, Vi?”

“Don’t look yet!”

“I kind of  _ can’t _ when your hands are covering my eyes.”

Violet rolled her eyes, keeping her hands on Clementine’s eyes and leading her to the bell tower. They’d been together for about five years now (not that they were able to count) and Violet had found a ring while out scavenging last week. She’d taken it straight to Louis, who had given her his best ‘are-you-kidding-me’ expression and had signed,  _ Do it already. She’s probably thinking the same thing. _

The ring almost burned through Violet’s pocket as she lead Clementine to the bell tower, pushing the door open in front of them and guiding Clementine through it. “And… here!” Violet said, uncovering her eyes. Clementine took a second to look around before letting out a chuckle, placing a hand on her hip. 

“Really, Vi? This was the big surprise?” Clementine said with a lighthearted smile. “We’ve been up here a million times.”

Violet shrugged, shoving her hands in her pockets. “I just thought it could be… I dunno, nostalgic?” Violet turned to the beams, climbing up them without even putting much thought into it. After the first night, Violet and Clementine made the climb often, seeking solitude in each other and under the stars. Clementine was right behind her, and Violet pulled her up the last step.

The two girls walked out to the opening where they always sat, sitting so close their shoulders were brushing and their hands were on top of each other. “Remember when you first kissed me up here?” Violet asked, and Clementine nodded.

“Of course.”

“I told you that… so many people in my life had left or died or both. So many people,” Violet said with a sigh, giving Clementine a sad smile. “Minerva. Sophie. Then Brody, Marlon, Mitch… Omar, Aasim, Louis.” Her hand moved back to the nape of her neck, self consciously brushing the undercut there. Clementine gave her hand a gentle squeeze. 

“Are you okay, Vi?” Clementine asked, tilting her head. “Is this why you’ve been acting so weird the past week?”

Violet nearly choked on air. “Wh-what do you mean by weird?”

Clementine shrugged. “I don’t know. You’ve been kinda… distant. Like you’re with me but not really there. Like you have something on your mind.” Noticing Violet’s slightly agape jaw, Clementine rushed to correct herself. “Not in a bad way! Just… I’ve noticed you haven’t seemed like yourself lately.”

Violet took a moment to think, then slowly shook her head. There was no backing down now. She hoped Clementine couldn’t hear her heart pounding out of her chest. “No, it’s not that. It’s just… you’ve never left my side, even when the others did, intentionally or not. And I want you to be with me forever.”

“I will be. You know that,” Clementine said, resting her head on Violet’s shoulder. “I love you. That’s never gonna change.”

Violet slipped the ring discreetly out of her pocket, holding it behind her back. “Stand up.”

Clementine lifted her head. “What?”

“Trust me. Stand up.”

Clementine pushed herself to her feet, Violet right behind her. Using her free hand, she grasped Clementine’s left hand in her own. “God, I don’t know how to say this… I fucking love you. So much. And if you’re there, there’s nowhere I’d rather be. For the rest of my life.”

“Vi…” Clementine said, clearly at a loss for words. Her eyes widened when Violet took a deep breath and knelt down on one knee. “What are you doing?”

“Clementine…” Violet held up the ring for Clementine to see. “Will you marry me?”

Clementine’s free hand went to her mouth, her eyes instantly going watery. “Oh my God,” she laughed, wiping the tears away from her face. “Oh my God, Vi, yes! Yes, of course!”

Violet’s smile grew huge, and she swept Clementine into her arms, the two giggling loud enough for the world to hear. They pulled away briefly for Violet to slip the ring onto Clementine’s left ring finger, the two women leaning their foreheads against each other.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Clementine murmured, capturing Violet’s lips in a gentle kiss. They’d kissed several times before, but this one was… different, somehow. Full of joy. Hope for a new future. Together. As it should be.

Violet brought her hand up to her _ fiancee’s _ cheek, their lips still brushing as they parted. “Wait, did… Louis know about this?” Clementine asked softly, and when Violet nodded, she let out a laugh. “Well, that explains why he’s been tearing up every time he looked at me for the past week.”

Violet groaned, resting her head on Clementine’s shoulder. “Oh my  _ God, _ ” she muttered, and Clementine laughed again, wrapping her arms around Violet’s waist.

“I love you, Clem,” Violet said, and Clementine smiled bigger than Violet had ever seen.

“I love you too, Vi.”

The two stayed on top of the bell tower for hours, finally climbing down when they were getting too tired to stay awake any longer. Violet went straight for the dorms, but when Clementine spotted who was on watch, she decided to join him.

James didn’t look over when Clementine climbed the ladder to stand next to him, the two having stood on watch together many nights. His hair had gotten long over the years, and was tied back in a french braid, courtesy of Louis. The two had gotten close, and while there was speculation to what they were, neither had confirmed or denied anything.

“Did she do it?” James asked, and Clementine looked at him, startled. He smiled. “Louis.”

“Ah,” Clementine said, showing him her left hand. James took it in his to get a better look at the ring, and gave an approving nod.

“It’s pretty,” he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “I’m happy for you. You deserve it, Clem.”

Clementine smiled, bumping his shoulder with hers and leaning into him. “Thanks. Neither of us would be here without you, so… thank you.”

James pulled her into a hug, which she quickly returned. He had gotten tall enough to comfortably rest his chin on her head, his loose strands falling out and tickling her face. “Thank  _ you. _ You gave me what I haven’t had in a long time. A home and a family. It’s good to see the world is finally paying you back,” James said, and Clementine sighed happily.

“Thank you, James.”

“Of course, Clementine.”

Clementine slipped into the dorms a few minutes later, climbing into Violet’s bed instead of her own, and the two fell asleep wrapped in each other’s embrace.


End file.
